Dynamics of Inclusion in Public Archaeology: An Introduction

Abstract

With generous funding from the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, the Dynamics of Inclusion in Public Archaeology workshop was held September 17–18, 2010 at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City. The workshop consisted of one day devoted to the presentation and discussion of original papers, eight of which are included in this collection. The second day of the workshop included a public program on ‘‘Archaeology and the Public in New York’’ as well as reflection on the workshop and public event by workshop participants. The workshop was organized by Christopher N. Matthews, Patrice L. Jeppson, and Carol McDavid. Participants included Anna Agbe-Davies, Linda Derry, John Carman, Patricia Carman, Pedro Funari, Cheryl J. LaRoche, Jed Levin Morag Kersel, Nick Shepherd, and Kerry F. Thompson. The workshop was planned in order to bring together a diverse set of public archaeologists representing varied areas of scholarly interest, global locations, and professional positions to explore questions about the actual participation of the public in public archaeology projects. Scholars from both academic and non-academic professional positions contributed original papers discussing their recent experience and research in public archaeology along with an annotated, public archaeology-based bibliography referencing the theoretical and methodological ideas at the base of this research. Papers considered research in Brazil, South Africa, England, Israel, Jordan, the Navajo Nation, and the United States. Questions about the definition of communities, archaeological advocacy and activism, IN T R O D U C T IO N